Population aging, accompanied by
population decline, is today an undeniable reality for everyone, not just for
experts. According to the UN, life expectancy will reach 81 years by the end of
the century. At present, almost 700 million people have exceeded the age of 60
and by 2050 it is estimated that their number will account for more than 20% of
the world population. Within the EU, the relative percentage of the population
aged at least 65 will grow at a fast pace, with this age category expected to
reach almost 150 million people by 2050. By 2060, the ratio between old and
young people will be 2:1.
In this context, the degree of dependency of old
people (people of at least 65 years in relation to those between 15 and 64
years of age) will be almost 50% in 2050. However, this reality should not
necessarily be a reason for concern or fear, but it should rather lead to
solutions. One of them should be to keep the elderly on the labor market as
long as possible. Ionuţ Sibian, the executive director of the Foundation for Civil Society
Development, says that another EU institution, namely the European Economic and
Social Committee (EESC) has already come up with projects meant to prevent the
emergence of a demographic crisis.
Ionut Sibian: A recent OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) study
shows that countries such as Great Britain could increase their GDP by 5% in
the future, if they manage to come up now with policies meant to keep senior
citizens on the labor market. Within the European Economic and Social Committee
we have recently issued an opinion on e-seniors, which is about allowing access
to the digital world to people over 50. There are over 150 million EU citizens
who will be in this category and for whom access to the market created by the
Internet is important, for them to keep active on the labor market. So far
member states have approached the issue of access to digital technology from
the perspective of access to social and medical services. We should go beyond
this stage and offer training opportunities to the elderly also for other
domains of the Internet, for them to get information and also to obtain further
income aside from their pensions.
Now, since we are in full holiday season,
we’ll be talking about other types of offers for seniors, which should bring
them both relaxation and information. And what better way to do so than going
to school without the stress of exams or of getting a diploma? This is the
offer of the Dunarea de Jos University of Galati for the 2016-2017 academic
year. The project is called University for Seniors and its aim is to solve
some of the problems posed by population aging. Here is Deputy-Dean Violeta Puşcaşu told us more about this project.
Violeta Puscasu: Of Romania’s big cities, Galaţi is the city with the largest elderly
population. This is the effect of some unfortunate economic, political and
demographic circumstances. The old people over 60 in Galaţi
account for one third of the city’s population. I have taught demography for
over 20 years and I have had the opportunity to see the visible changes in
demographic indicators in Romania and Europe. The aging phenomenon is getting
more and more visible and society should not be indifferent to it or offer the
classical solutions of placing the elderly into a retirement home or turning
them into couch potatoes in the company of a dog.
The University for Seniors in Galati does not
charge seniors for the courses they offer, and, upon graduation, they get a
certificate. It may not count on the labor market, yet it does have a
sentimental and scientific value, proving that the elderly people managed to
keep their intellect active, thereby averting the prospects of depression
triggered by loneliness and lack of occupation. But what exactly can senior
citizens study in Galati? With details on that, here is Deputy-Dean Violeta
Puscasu once again:
There are ten modules selected from a much more
generous list, including options the prospective senior-students expressed
during a survey carried last spring and last summer. Of that very generous
list, these 10 have been short listed. Apart from seniors’ wishes, what
mattered was the fact that my colleagues at the university showed their willingness
to get involved in such an undertaking, pro bono. Among the courses
senior-students can take there are courses in law, business and international
relations, kinetotherapy, fine arts, culture and civilization, nutrition,
history, philosophy, theology, tourism, science and engineering.
Attending the aforementioned courses are the 160
senior students enrolled at the Dunarea de Jos University in Galati. Courses are tailored for people older than
55. The minimum admission age was 55, with the oldest senior student being 85
years old. Once fresh content knowledge has been acquired as a result of
attending such courses, the elderly might even stand the chance of getting new
jobs. Ionut Sibian, who is also a member of the European Economic and Social
Committee, thinks hiring seniors is a priority.
Ionut Sibian: Once the crisis is over, the European Union has
got to find a solution as regards demography. Part of the solution is keeping
seniors on the labor market as long as possible as well as offering incentives
to those employers who hire seniors. Social economy can be a good and generous
employer and provider for this category of senior citizens.